Architectural space frames are among the novel developments in building systems in the present century. The advantages range from economy due to mass production, easy assembly due to repetitive erection and construction procedures, the integration of geometry with structure, and the development of new architectural form.
Numerous patents have been granted in this field. These patents range from new space frame geometries, new node shape designs to new coupling devices. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,113,371 to Pajeau, 1,960,328 to Breines, 2,909,867 to Hobson, 2,936,530 to Bowen, 3,563,581 to Sommerstein, 3,600,825 to Pearce, 3,632,147 to Finger, 3,733,762 to Pardo, 3,918,233 to Simpson, 4,122,646 to Sapp, 4,129,975 to Gabriel, 4,183,190 to Bance, 4,295,307 to Jensen, and 4,679,961 to Stewart. Related foreign patents include U.K. patents 1,283,025 to Furnell and 2,159,229A to Paton, French patents 682,854 to Doornbos and Vijgeboom, 1,391,973 to Stora, Italian patent 581277 to Industria Officine Magliana and West German patents 2,305,330 to Cilveti and 2,461,203 to Aulbur. All these patents were considered in the allowance of the parent application. In addition, NASA's node for the Space Station structure based on cubic symmetry is cited.
The present application deals with node of prismatic symmetry and is an improvement of the allowed parent application with respect to further defining the shapes of nodes for the patented building system and specifying the techniques of triangulation necessary for stability purposes.